Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dallas | Dr. Rai

British writer Virginia Ironside has a column out today called “Why I’m not so Fonda this bare-faced hypocrite”. She takes issue with Jane Fonda for advertising anti-aging face cream (on a six-figure contract) and speaking out against people having cosmetic surgery, yet having procedures done to banish her own facial wrinkles.

Apparently Fonda has had a necklift to smooth out the wrinkles around the chin and throat areas; and also had blepharoplasty to remove bags from beneath her eyes. Ironside quotes Fonda as saying on her blog:

• “I just had some work done on my chin and neck and had the bags taken away from under my eyes, so I decided it would be a good idea to get a new haircut so people will think it's my new hair.”

Ironside is concerned about the women who bought the anti-aging cream Fonda advertised, expecting their faces to be as smooth as Fonda’s. Ironside herself has had a facelift and is proud of the results. She freely gives out the name of her cosmetic surgeon, but dislikes the statement that she “admits” to having a facelift.

• “I don't even like the word 'admitting' because it sounds as if I've committed a crime,” she says. “The whole procedure cheered me up no end. And although I'm quite open about it, very few people ask if I've had a facelift because I was one of the lucky ones who had an excellent surgeon … What on earth is wrong with having cosmetic surgery? It shows you care about your looks, which means you care about other people.”

Fonda disapproved of cosmetic surgery for many years but about four years ago she changed her mind. She had breast implants, but then had them removed. Now she is 72, more concerned about her aging appearance, and more willing to acknowledge having cosmetic surgery.

Ironside scolds celebrities who have cosmetic work done but don’t acknowledge it, because “it makes other older women feel upset that their bingo-wings, faces like contour maps and turkey necks, are somehow their own fault.”

Since everyone ages and the face shows it, it is clearly not anybody’s fault. Our culture is obsessed with youth and has forgotten that age brings valuable experience and often a more tolerant and wider perspective on life.

Ironside is right about the importance of choosing an excellent surgeon. That is the first thing you can do to ensure a good surgical outcome. The second thing to do is follow your surgeon’s pre- and post-op instructions exactly. If you would like to talk with Dr. Rai and learn more about the plastic surgery procedures we offer in Dallas Texas at The Cosmetic Surgical Center, please contact us today.

A forehead lift (brow lift) is a procedure to raise eyebrows that have started drooping over the eyes, and to smooth forehead creases and frown lines. These corrections give the face a more alert and youthful look.

Many times, a forehead lift is done along with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Eyelid surgery removes puffiness and wrinkles from the eyelids so the eyes match the rejuvenated forehead. Increasingly, men are coming for these two procedures, as cosmetic surgery continues to become better-known to the public and more acceptable.

Typically, male eyebrows are set lower on the forehead than those of women. So as age causes them to droop, or as a frowning habit draws them lower and closer together, the change more often affects the man’s eyesight. A brow lift can restore the full visual field by shifting the eyebrows higher and out of the way.

Endoscopic vs. Traditional Forehead Lift

Male pattern baldness is a factor in male cosmetic surgery. Traditionally, a forehead lift requires an incision to be made behind the hairline, in a long curve above the forehead and down to the temples. From there, Dr. Rai lifts the eyebrows and removes excess skin to smooth out wrinkles. That has the effect of raising the hairline and does not work so well for males whose hairline is receding, as the scar is too visible.

Therefore Dr. Rai uses the endoscopic technique for men. An endoscope is a narrow surgical tube with a light at its tip and a second channel for surgical instruments. It is connected to a computer. Dr. Rai can see on the monitor what work he is doing beneath the skin. Because the tube is narrow, only two or three small incisions are needed instead of a long one.

An endoscopic browlift cannot remove as much unwanted skin as can a traditional browlift. It is best for younger men with less wrinkling. It is a less invasive procedure with a shorter recovery time. The small incisions leave small scars that are virtually invisible.

If you would like to know more about male plastic surgery and which procedures might best benefit you, please call or email our office for a free consultation with Dr. Rai. We serve the residents of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas and we hope to meet with you soon.

In the Palm Springs, California area, there is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization called Desert Best Friend’s Closet. It has no physical facilities and only three team members but during their first year, the 2008-2009 fiscal year, they provided the right clothing for 296 adults and 487 children, at no cost to those recipients.

They rely on donations of clothing, help, and money. They do not serve their community directly, but donate the clothing they collect to local charities or government agencies. They began by finding fashionable prom gowns for high school girls who could not afford to buy their own.

“Every girl deserves to experience prom before she graduates high school,” says Connie Golds, the president and co-founder of Desert Best Friend's Closet. “It's a rite of passage.”

Once they were on a roll with prom dresses, they spotted another need: work attire for job interviews. This assisted new high school graduates and also older women returning to the workforce.

Then they realized that the students at an elementary school in the area were in need of school uniforms. “Gently-used” uniforms were donated by students at another school so over 200 children were now well-attired for school. Part of that project was finding and providing play clothing for more than 200 children at a local rescue mission.

Cosmetic Surgery Patients Step Up

Part of their expanding project was “Bras for a Cause”, where cosmetic surgery patients donated their pre-surgery bras and camisoles because their cosmetic procedures were going to require different sized clothing.

• When you have breast implants or breast reduction, part of the preparation is determining what your new breast size will be and purchasing new bras.
• If you have liposuction, the treatment area will be much reduced in size and your old shirts and jackets may no longer be wearable if you have liposuction on the upper back; nor will your slacks or jeans be wearable if you have it on the hips or buttocks.
• After you have had a tummy tuck, you will not need your old skirts or dresses, but will have the pleasure of restocking your wardrobe with new ones.

Cosmetic surgery practices in the Desert area encouraged their patients to donate their pre-surgery clothing to Desert Best Friend’s Closet.

Future plans of this nonprofit group are to find a physical site where they can store donated items and run their organization; and to buy a truck for transporting large amounts of clothing.

It is not just your new shapely contours that can boost your self confidence after plastic surgery. Your fresh new wardrobe is part of that change. Perhaps you could further expand your good feelings by starting a similar nonprofit group in your own area, or by or donating to one if it exists.

If you would like to know more about any cosmetic surgery procedures offered at The Cosmetic Surgical Institute in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, please contact us today for a free consultation with Dr. Rai.

Obesity has been increasing in Western countries for many years and is getting plenty of press coverage. Some cosmetic surgeons are offering gastric bypass surgery for those who cannot lose excess weight through diet and exercise. It is a way to reduce stomach size so that you feel full quickly and cannot eat more. We do not currently offer that but would not rule it out for the future.

If you want to assess your own weight, one way to do it is by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI (also called Body Mass Indicator) was developed by a Belgian statistician named Adolphe Quelet who lived from 1796 to 1874. It is now an internationally recognized way of measuring obesity.

It is not hard to get your own BMI with a calculator:

1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703
2. Divide the resulting number by your height in inches squared

Here is an Example

Mary weighs 180 pounds and is 5 feet four inches tall (64 inches)

• 180 multiplied by 703 equals 126,540
• 64 squared equals 4096 – that is, 64 x 64
• 126,540 divided by 4096 equals 30.9 (rounded up one decimal point)

Mary’s BMI is 30.89. What does that mean? Here is the meaning of the BMI categories:

• Below 18.5 Underweight
• 18.5 through 24.9 Healthy weight
• 25 through 29.9 Overweight
• 30 through 39.9 Obese
• Over 40 Morbidly obese

So Mary is obese but not morbidly obese. Since she is at the lower end of the obese range, she could gain 30 more pounds and still be considered obese but not morbidly obese.

Considering Your BMI

Your BMI alone is useful but needs to be supplemented with other information. Do you have large or heavy bones? Developed muscles? (Muscle weighs more than fat.) Are you male or female? If you are at the low end of the healthy weight range and gain 30 pounds, you could still be in the healthy range, at the top end. Mary’s healthy range is about 110 pounds to 140 pounds.

If you gain 30 pounds, you should probably consider why. Was it just over-eating and/or lack of activity, or is something else happening? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more BMI information and an automatic BMI calculator.

At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, we offer Ultrasonic Liposuction and tummy tucks for shedding unwanted fat. If you would like to know more about these procedures and whether they might be good options for you, please contact our plastic surgery office for a free consultation with Dr. Rai. We serve the areas of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas.

Recently, a Syrian woman had an iris implant done to change her eye color from brown to green. Her plastic surgeon replaced her natural iris with one that had green synthetic fibers. She was evidently very satisfied with her outcome.

However, the Syrian health minister, one Rida Said, stated that this was a risky procedure and that the surgeon could no longer practice medicine. His license was pulled. Mr. Said said that it did not matter that iris implants were done in the Western world – it was too risky for the patient’s eyesight.

He has assembled a team of eye surgeons to decide whether this woman’s eyes were damaged. If they find damage, the surgeon and the facility he used for the plastic surgery will be punished.

However, to this date, there have been no conclusions drawn as to the woman’s eyesight because she has refused to allow the government surgeons to examine her.

More About Iris Implants

Iris implants are indeed done in the Western world. According to the Cornea Research Foundation of America, iris implants can be very effective for several groups of people:

• Those born with iris defects or a missing iris
• Those who have suffered an eye injury
• Albino people who have no color in their eyes

Without the iris to control the size of the pupil, the person is easily blinded by bright light. Artificial irises are made of PMMA, the same plastic used for the implantable lenses that treat cataracts. It is an ophthalmic-grade silicone. They come in blue, green, and brown colors. Artificial irises can replace a defective natural iris or they can be placed in front of the natural iris to supplement function or complete the colored area.

Each iris is custom-made for the individual. They are very thin and have two flaps that hold them in place. The FDA is currently testing one called the Ophtec Artificial Iris made by a company called Ophtec, Inc.

When a surgical procedure is successful for health reasons, why should it not be done for cosmetic reasons? Certainly, eyesight is not harmed – it is improved -- by other eye surgeries, such as implantable contact lenses, LASIK, or corneal transplants.

At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, we offer eye surgery on the eyelids, called blepharoplasty. It removes unneeded and unwanted fat and skin from the eyelids, giving them a younger and more alert appearance. It is an effective way to rejuvenate the entire face. It has no effect on your eyesight.

If you would like to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Rai and learn more about our cosmetic surgery offerings, please contact our office today. We serve the Dallas and Fort Worth areas in Texas.

A Los Angeles physician is offering a new procedure to whiten the whites of the eyes. It is called I-BRITE and is being offered by one Brian Boxer Wachler, M.D. who is an ophthalmologist rather than a cosmetic surgeon.

If you spend long hours reading every day, or working on the computer, or if you have spent years in the sun without wearing any sunglasses, you may be noticing that your eyes are not as white as they used to be. People may be asking you if you feel tired.

The white part of the eyes is called the sclera and it can become yellowed or red over time. There are tiny blood vessels in the sclera that nourish the eyes and remove waste products.

How I-BRITE Works

The I-BRITE procedure removes the conjunctiva in the area including the blood vessels and any yellow or brownish pigmentation. It is really the procedure called conjunctivoplasty, which is not new, but is used for cosmetic reasons in I-BRITE. The conjunctiva is the membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the sclera. You have probably heard of conjunctivitis, the name for an infected conjunctiva. That is treated with antibiotic eyedrops.

Sometimes little growths appear on the sclera and a conjunctivoplasty is done to remove them. That is medically necessary but in the case of I-BRITE, healthy tissue is being removed. The blood vessels need to be there to provide nutrients and oxygen necessary for eye health.

I-BRITE Risks

By removing the conjunctiva, you risk having little scars that could interfere with vision and you risk eye dryness because the conjunctiva helps to keep the eyes moist. You also risk an eye infection which could create scars.

“I think it's a market overkill," says ophthalmologist Dr. Allen Berg, who also practices in Los Angeles. "It would be, I guess, taking a sledgehammer to a flea."

I-BRITE takes about 30 minutes and is done with local anesthetic. You can return to normal activities the following day. The cost is between $3,000 and $5,000 per eye.

At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, we offer blepharoplasty, which is cosmetic surgery on the eyelids, but we do not offer any surgery on the eyes themselves. Blepharoplasty is an effective way to look less tired, as it removes droopiness and gives the eyes a more alert, youthful look.

If you would rather have a non-surgical procedure for the eyes, BOTOX® Cosmetic can smooth the skin around the forehead and eye area, removing frown lines and horizontal lines. This has a lifting effect for the eyes and gives your face a calmer and happier look.

Dr. Rai offers a great many cosmetic procedures and if you would like to learn more about any that you might be considering, please contact our Dallas, Texas office today. We will be happy to schedule a free consultation for you.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) is planning to launch a new magazine, called the New You Magazine, at the end of this year. It will be the official magazine of the AACS and will be on sale to the public. Its mission is to promote cosmetic surgery by disseminating correct information about it.

• "We are going to educate the public about cosmetic surgery so that they will feel informed and comfortable enough to make a decision,” states the magazine editor, J.P. Faber. “Our goal is to remove the most common fears surrounding cosmetic surgery – as well as making it more attractive.”

Most people have a lot of questions about cosmetic procedures and some have reservations. The global market research company Synovate, Inc. did some research on what factors prevent people from going ahead with cosmetic surgery they are interested in. They came up with four main factors:

1. The cost
2. Fear of looking unnatural afterwards
3. Fear of pain
4. Fear of surgical complications

All four of these factors probably contribute to the popularity of non-invasive cosmetic surgery procedures such as BOTOX® Cosmetic and facial fillers. They cost less, give almost no pain or discomfort, have very few complications, and give excellent results.

A qualified and experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Rai offers a wide array of procedures, both invasive and non-invasive, to suit all budgets and schedules. Patient education is always a high priority so that you will understand what is being done, why, and how to optimize your outcome.

When you have major surgery such as a tummy tuck or breast implants, it is crucial to follow your surgeon’s instructions both before and after your procedure. That is for your safety and you will be far less likely to have any surgical complications if you are faithful in following those instructions.

The New You Magazine will try to promote patient education and allay fears with accurate information.

• “For every person who has undergone a cosmetic procedure, there are at least two more people who would like to,” says Faber. “Our job is to overcome their barriers to making that decision.”

The New You Magazine has a website, although it is not yet complete.

If you have been thinking about a plastic surgery procedure and would like to know more about it, please call or email us today for a free consultation with Dr. Rai. We serve Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas and we hope to meet with you soon.

One Margaret Degand, M.D. has been a plastic surgeon in Petionville, Haiti for years, offering such cosmetic procedures as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and liposuction to the Haitian upper class. The earthquake collapsed two big buildings near her clinic while she was working and people ran to her door with head injuries, broken limbs, and other urgent needs.

She got to work immediately.

• "They were really badly wounded because they were big buildings with lots of cement. Really, I have never seen so many traumatized patients," she said. "They had scalp wounds. They were bleeding. One patient had four or five lesions."

During the first 24 hours, she worked non-stop, with other Haitian doctors who came by to help. “… we were one anesthesiologist, one orthopedist, me and one nurse to do the whole job," she said. She estimated that they treated about 120 people that day and about 1,500 since then. About 350 of the patients needed serious surgery. They were running out of supplies, but Degand’s daughter arrived from France with more.

Haitians Helping Themselves

During the three days that Haiti waited for international help, Haitians helped themselves. In a suburb of Petionville, a sports bar was converted to a help center, feeding people every day.

• "We don't believe in sitting around and waiting for outside help. We can help ourselves," said Clifford Rouzeau, 43, one of three owners.

They used all their supplies and were unable to pay their employees, who nevertheless, dontated their time to prepare food and clean up. They plan to keep offering free meals as long as they can get enough food items to do it. They have been making spaghetti, rice and beans, and cornmeal. "It's a lot of work. Our kitchen is not designed for this," Rouzeau said.

Medical Workers Improvising

Haitian medical students in Cuba returned to help, and without any electricity, they used the light of their cell phones at night to see. They had volunteers cleaning wounds and emptying bedpans. Diapers were donated and delivered by someone unknown.

When the hospital ran out of alcohol for sterilization during surgeries, someone sent a supply of vodka. (Vodka is 98 percent pure food-grade alcohol, a type of alcohol that can be bought in U.S. liquor stores as grain alcohol. It is just as effective as the traditional isopropyl alcohol.)

"For sure, Haitians have been helping Haitians. Some patients have gone in and out of the operating theater eight times," said Dr. Degand. Many injuries have been complex and repeated surgeries have been necessary to save limbs. She has had her recovering patients sleeping on mattresses in a tent pitched in the middle of the street.

Humanity is resourceful when it has to be. Americans responded on 9/11 with similar courage and creativeness, running back into the collapsed buildings repeatedly to search for survivors. Some rescuers have sustained permanent lung damage because of breathing so much smoke that contained carcinogens like asbestos, benzene and dioxins.

If you would like to know more about cosmetic procedures that Dr. Rai offers at The Cosmetic Surgical Center, please contact us today for a free consultation.